[Asterisk-Users] [ot] Grandstream hardware

[Adam Hart]

> > I ask again, how does Grandstream (from all accounts a very small
> > company) afford to provide the patented codecs in their products?
> >
>
> What's odd about that ? They are licensing software "bricks" from one
> or more DSP *software* vendors. These vendors probably take care of
> the patent issues themselves. But bear in mind that these vendors are
> *not* the DSP vendor (TI, in the present case). Hardware vendors sell
> hardware. Software vendors sell licensing, which include patent rights.
>
> That kind of agreement usually involves an upfront cost (probably in
> the tens of thousand dollars or so), and then a "per seat" cost. Say
> a few dollars per phone, for instance. No big deal.
>

Or B) Grandstream simply just doesn't pay the patent fees, I know many
Chinese companies which just distribute it without paying for licensing.